DEPENDENCE OF SNOW COVER DENSITY UPON ITS STRUCTURE AND TEXTURE
E.N. Kazakova1,2, V.A. Lobkina3
1 The Special Research Bureau for Automation of Marine Research, FEB RAS,
25, Gorkogo str., Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, 693023, Russian; kazakova-e-n@yandex.ru
2 Geodynamics Research Center for the Study of Geodynamic Processes, 1, Kommunisticheskiy ave., Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, 693000, Russia; geodynamics_2003@mail.ru
3 Sakhalin Branch of the Far East Geological Institute, FEB RAS, 25, Gorkogo str., Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, 693000, Russia
The results of measuring the snow cover density for the period from 2005 to 2017 are presented. The data on snow density have been obtained during regular observations carried out on stationary horizontal sites located in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and during field work. 227 snow pits have been sampled, and more than 2,000 values of snow density for different snow layers have been analyzed. Data on distribution of snow density in different landscapes have been compiled and structured. The maximum density of snow has been found to be typical of treeless regions with dominating strong winds. Typical densities characteristic of the specific types of the snow structure have been revealed. The density of snow layers has been found to vary depending on the type of snow in the range from 40 kg/m3 (newly fallen snow) to 790 kg/m3 (ice crust).
Metamorphism of snow, snow density, Sakhalin, snow, snow cover